Handling apparatus for stably lifting substantially horizontal mat-like appliances



May 17, 1955 w R. H. AT HANDLING APPARATUS FOR STABLY Filed Dec. 30, 1952 BY W W TINGER HORIZONTAL MAT-LIKE APPLIANCES LIFTING SUBSTANTIALL 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEYS M y 1955 R. H. WATTINGER 2,708,527

HANDLING APPARATUS FOR STABLY LIF TING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL MAT-LIKE APPLIANCES Filed Dec. 30, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR ATTORNEYS 1 May 17, 1955 R. H. WATTINGER 2,708,527 HANDLING APPARATUS FOR STABLY LIFTING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL MAT-LIKE APPLIANCES Filed Dec. 30. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENT OR ATTORNEYS United HANDLING APPARATUS FOR STABLY LIFTING lS UBSTANSTIALLY HORIZONTAL MAT-LIKE AP- LIANCE This invention relates to vehicular handling apparatus for placing upon or removing from horizontal or approximately horizontal surfaces, substantially rigid appliances of the type which have an extensive area in a horizontal plane, maintaining them in their horizontal or approximately horizontal attitude while being lifted or lowered.

The invention is particularly useful in connection with the construction of extensive concrete masses such as foundations, floors, pavements, etc., but it is not to be regarded as limited to any particular use.

In the building of a concrete highway, the concrete when for example, delivered upon the subgrade is a wet mixture containing much more water than is required for setting. While this is necessary to secure suflicient fluidity for spreading, excess water in the mixture tends to weaken the structure by permitting the cement particles to settle with respect to the water that fills the interstices in the aggregate, so that the dispersal of cement is not homogeneous throughout the entire mass. For this reason it is desirable to remove excess water from the freshly spread concrete, this being accomplished by hollow mats laid upon the surface of the concrete, presenting an open face to the concrete, and being connected to a vacuum pump by means of which the excess water is removed. In this same manner, concrete may be. treated for the purpose of rendering it temporarily tes Patent porous so that it may be then impregnated, for example,

with a waterproofing agent. Again, a considerable length of concrete pavement may be laid in a day, which requires to be protected at night against anticipated subfreezing temperature. In this case the mats may be of straw, burlap, etc., with enable them to be handled flat. Such mats may also be applied to protect the concrete from the sun, to promote complete setting incident to slow drying.

For a pavement sixteen feet eight feet by twelve feet in size, for example.

The invention is not concerned with any particular type of mat or function thereof, nor necessarily to the handling of mats, but for want of a better generic nomenclature, the term mat is used herein to include any a backing sufficiently rigid to wide, the mats could be appliance which can be handled by the apparatus of the present invention in the manner in which a mat is handled.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a gantry crane or similar vehicular platform having a fluid pressure ram mounted for vertical reciprocation thereupon, and a rig of cables and pulleys operatively associated with said ram, the cables being so arranged as to provide vertical flights connected to the movable element of the ram so disposed about the axis of said movaat their ends, and being I displaced from one another in a pattern of distribution which enables them to stably lift a mat when coupled to complementary coupling means carried by said mat.

Another object of the invention is to provide handling apparatus as described, in which the number of lifting means on the platform is duplicated in any desired plurality, with control means whereby the several rams may be operated independently or together in any selected plurality.

Still another object of the invention is to provide handling apparatus in which the crane or its equivalent is self-propelled.

A further object of the invention resides in the specific structure of the lifting unit.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of the following specification, and throughout the several figures of which the same reference characters have been employed to denote identical parts:

Figure l is a plan view of handling apparatus embodying the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a schematic view in section, illustrating control means for the operation of the several rams.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral 1 represents the gantry crane, consisting of a skeletal platform 2 supported at an elevation above ground level by vertlcal beams 3 secured to the platform at the corner. The lower ends of the vertical beams are bifurcated in the direction of the length of the crane and bridged by transverse axles 4 upon which flanged wheels 5 are journaled, enabling the crane to travel longitudi- 6. The platform 2, as shown,

Spaced from the pair of channel beams 9 on opposite sides thereof are the cross beams 11, herein shown as I beams, their distance apart being generally somewhat less than the length of the mats which the apparatus is designed to handle. These cross beams, as will later appear, afford support for the pulleys which effect direction change between the lateral and terminal flights of the handling cables. The channel beams 9 and cross beams 11 are divided, their inner ends being secured to a medial longitudinal I beam 12 secured to the end beams S. The particular cross-sectional shape of the beams above described is not material to the invention. This is also true of the vertical beams 3, which as shown, are of H cross-section, with the lower part of the web cut away to form the bifurcations 13, the webless portion of said 14 which lie in by a plate 15' that abuts the lower end of the web, being fixed thereto, and forming the top of the wheel space between the bifurcations.

A prime mover 15', which as shown, is an internal combustion engine, is mounted on the platform 2 toward the front of the crane, which through suitable gear reduction operates a winding drum 16. A cable 17 is attached to said drum, passes over the forward side of a direction changing pulley 18, and around the rear of a lower direction changing pulley 19, the free end of the cable being carried forward of the crane for some distance and anchored. Thus, by the winding of the cable upon the drum, the crane is propelled forward. By freeing the anchored end of the cable, bringing it under the crane and anchoring it at a distance to the rear, the crane can propel itself rearward. The drum and cable means of propulsion could be substituted by a power drive from the engine to one of the wheels if the apparatus were designed to travel for a considerable distance or frequently back and forth.

The crane 1 is provided with braking means for one of the wheels 5, which as shown, comprises a shaft 20 parallel to the front of the crane, having its ends journaled in the upstanding flanges of spaced plates 21, the bases of which are fixed to the front end beam 8. Near one end of said shaft and in the vertical longitudinal plane intersecting the adjacent vehicle wheel is the brake bar 22, consisting of a short portion 23 fixed to said shaft and projecting radially, and a long downwardly directed portion 24 having its upper end fixed to the end of said short portion. bar is dished in a direction toward said. wheel, being furnished with a brake shoe 26. The shaft 20 may be os cillated to bring the brake shoe against the periphery of said wheel.

Secondary beams 27 are tudinally between the forward beam 9 and the front end beam 8. These are adapted to support boards, not shown, loosely laid across said secondary beams and the medial longitudinal beam 12, to provide a floor for the workman who operates the crane. 28 by which the drum is operated and the brake lever 29 are within easy reach of the man on the floor. The brake lever is connected by the rod 30 with a crank arm 31 on the shaft 20.

The crane, as illustrated, mounts two handling units, but the invention is not limited either as to the size of the crane or the number of handling units employed.

Each unit comprises the air lift 10, the cross head cage 32 that supports it, the guided cross head 33, and the cable and pulley system associated therewith. The ram comprises a cylinder 34 positioned with its axis perpendicular to the plane of the platform, the plunger 35 within the cylinder and the plunger rod 36 which projects through a packing gland in the lower head of the cylinder. The cylinder is mounted on the top plate 37 of the cross head cage, which has a hole through it to admit the plunger rod which extends into the cage. The latter may be of any desired cross-sectional shape, but as shown, it is rectangular, consisting of a pair of spaced parallel angle bars 38 arranged transversely across the beams 9 and fixed thereto with their anterior angles facing outwardly. Vertical angle bars 39 are arranged at the opposite ends of said transverse angle bars, with their interior angles facing inwardly. A rectangular frame 40 surrounds the upper ends of the vertical angle bars, having depending flanges embracing the tops of said vertical angle bars, and flanges overlying the tops of said vertical angle bars lying in a horizontal plane. The plate 37 rests upon said flanges, being fixed thereto.

The cross head 33 is a rectangular plate having a free fit within the rectangular runway defined by the interior angles of the vertical angle bars, and guided thereby. The cross head is pivotally mounted in the lower end of the plunger rod, the pivotal connection being denoted by the numeral 41, Figure 5. The cross head has paral lel slots 42 therethrough, the centers of which are radially equidistant from the produced axis of the plunger rod 36 (see Figure 4). These slots are of a size to receive the thimbles 43 at the upper ends of the cables 44. Parallel anchoring pins 45 rest upon the cross head 33, pass- The lower end 25 of said brake provided, extending longi- The clutch lever the direction change produced by of the mat is heavier than the ing through the eyes of the thimbles. A pulley supporting plate 46 is fixed against the lower flanges of the beams 9, bridging said beams directly beneath the cross head cage 32. It has cable holes 47 in vertical alignment with the slots 42. On its under side the plate 46 carries bifuracted hangers 43, one for each cable. Pulleys 49 are mounted in the hangers, the hangers and pulleys being so positioned as to maintain the anterior flights 50 of the cables in vertical alignment.

Other hangers 51 in which pulleys 56 are journaled are fixed to the under sides of the beams 11. The cables 44 pass under the pulleys 49 and over the pulleys 52, the pulleys defining the lateral intermediate flights 53 of the cables and the terminal flights 54, the latter depending vertically by gravity beneath the platform 2, and having hooks at their ends.

The pulleys 49 and 52 are so orientated that all flights of the respective cables are in vertical planes radiating from the axis of the plunger rod 36. The spacing ofthe hangers 51 with respect to the beams 11 is such as to cause the terminal flights 54 of the cables to be in approximate vertical alignment with the coupling means on the mats, which the hooks 55 are to engage.

Due to the fact that the load is transmitted to the air lift through the anterior flights 50 which are symmetrically displaced about the produced axis of the plunger rod and radially equidistant therefrom, there will be no unbalanced component of the load pressure acting laterally upon the plunger rod tending to divert it with consequent undue strain upon the air lift and wear of the plunger rod packing gland. In the event that one end other, the cross head 33 will tilt about its pivotal connection 41, still preserving the balanced relationship of the load with respect to the plunger rod.

It is sometimes desired to lift or withdraw one end. of the mat in advance of the other relative to the surface to which it is applied, as for example to relieve residual vacuum in the case of vacuum mats. This is accomplished by making prior adjustments in the length of the cable by means of the turnbuckles 56 conveniently located in the transverse flights of said cables.

The air lifts 10 are double acting, as shown, both ends of the cylinders 34 being served by piping which leads from the air main 57 (see Figure 5), which is connected to a source of compressed air, not shown. This source could be on the ground, connected to the air main by a suitable length of flexible hose, or it could be on the crane and powered by the internal combustion engine 15, either of which alternatives would be an obvious expedient. The operation of the air lifts is under a control system by which either may be operated individually, or both together. The control system includes the valves 58 and 59 which are mounted on a shelf 60 supported upon standards 61 fixed to the adjacent beam 9, and having operating handles 62 within easy reach of a man standing upon the floor boards, which as previously stated, are not shown. The valves are purchased items, the details of construction of which it is not deemed necessary to disclose. Each valve controls one lift. As shown diagrammatically in Figure 6, each is connected to the air main and each to a respective one of the cylinders 34 by individual pipe conn ctions 63 and 64 to the opposite ends of the cylinder. Each has an atmospheric exhaust 65, the valves being so ported as to supply air to either end of the associated cylinder, to hold it in both ends and to exhaust it from the end opposite that to. which air is being supplied. By manipulating both of the handles 62 in unison, both lifts may be operated together. A pressure regulated valve 66 is intercalated. in the air main anterior to the valves, which determines the maximum operating pressure.

While I have in the above description I have found to be a practical embodiment of the invendisclosed what tion, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the specific details of construction and the arrangement of parts, as shown, are by way of example and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. Handling apparatus adapted for lifting from or applying to a substantially level surface, in horizontal r lation thereto, substantially rigid mats of extensive area, said apparatus including a substantially level vehicular platform, and a handling unit comprising a ram support mounted upon said platform and a fluid pressure ram cylinder mounted uprightly upon said support, the latter being formed as a cross head guide, a plunger rod extending downwardly from said cylinder within said support, a cross head swingably connected thereto at its center and guided by said support, a plurality of pairs of direction changing pulleys mounted on the under side of said platform, the pulleys of each pair b ing radially spaced apart and mounted to rotate in a vertical plane radiating from the axis of said plunger rod, corresponding pulleys of each pair being adjacent to and beneath said cross head, and the remote pulleys of said pairs being spaced from one another in a pattern which corresponds substantially to the spacing of the coupling elements on said mat, a plurality of cables anchored to said cross head at points equidistant from the axis of said plunger rod and symmetrically displaced about said axis, said cables passing about the under sides of said adjacent pulleys and over said remote pulleys terminating beyond said remote pulleys, said pulleys dividing said cables into anterior, intermediate and terminal flights, the terminal flights being of substantially equal length and depending vertically by gravity, hooks at the free ends of said terminal flights adapted to couple to the coupling elements of said mat, the symmetrical displacement of the points of anchorage of said cables to said cross head, with respect to the axis of said plunger rod being such as to balance the load thrust of the anterior flights of said cables whereby to nullify any component acting laterally upon said plunger rod.

2. Handling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, there being a plurality of said handling units mounted on said platform, and control means for operating said units individually or together.

3. Handling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including downwardly extending supports said platform at the corners thereof and parallel flanged wheels at the lower ends of said supports on transverse axes, a prime mover on said platform, a winding drum driven thereby, at the front of said platform, and a cable attached to said drum adapted to be extended longitudinally beyond said platform in either direction and to have its free end anchored, whereby upon winding of said drum said platform is selfpropelled.

4. Handling apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said cross head being pivoted to the plunger rod of said ram on an axis transverse with respect to said platform, said cables being anchored in pairs along transverse lines on opposite sides of said pivotal axis, equidistant from said axis.

5. Handling apparatus for stably lifting from or lowering upon a substantially horizontal surface, substantially rigid mat-like appliances of extensive area in a substantially horizontal plane having coupling elements at such points as to permit them to be suspended stably, which apparatus includes a horizontal platform bridged by narrowly spaced transverse parallel supporting members, an air lift unit comprising a double acting air cylinder having a plunger and downwardly extending plunger rod, a rectangular cross head extending transversely of said plunger rod pivotally mounted at the lower end thereof, a cross head cage of rectangular cross-section surrounding said cross head within which said cross head is a free fit, said cage having guiding flanges embracing the corners of said cross head, said cylinder being rigidly mounted on the top of said cage, the latter being adapted to be fixed to the upper faces of said supporting members, said air lift unit including a plate beneath said cage and spaced therefrom adapted to be fixed to the under faces of said supporting members, a plurality of laterally spaced direction changing pulleys, the pulleys of each pair being mounted to rotate in a vertical plane radiating from the axis of said plunger rod, corresponding pulleys of each pair being fixed to the under side of said plate and the remote pulleys of said pairs being adapted to be mounted on the under side of said platform at points remote from said plate, spaced apart from one another in a pattern which corresponds substantially to the spacing of the coupling elements on the appliances, cables, one for each pair of pulleys anchored at one end in pairs to said cross head in lines parallel to the pivotal axis of said cross head on opposite sides of said axis and equidistant therefrom, said cables passing through holes in said plate, under the said adjacent pulleys and over the remote pulleys, terminating beyond said remote pulleys, said pulleys dividing said cables into anterior, intermediate and terminal flights, the terminal flights being of substantially equal length and depending vertically by gravity, hooks at the ends of said terminal flights adapted to couple to the coupling elements of said appliances, the radiating planes which embrace said pairs of pulleys being so displaced about the axis of said plunger red as to dispose said anterior flights in load balancing relation to said plunger rod whereby to nullify any load force component acting laterally upon said plunger rod,

, and a pneumatic system adapted to be connected to a source of compressed air, and to said cylinder, including a valve for operating said air lift.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

